Our Trainers
Keith Wittenstein
(a.k.a. “Tyler Durden”, “Panda”, “The Mayor of CrossFitTown”)
Keith is Head Coach, Founder, President, and all that jazz. He just so happens to be the only Level 3 CrossFit Trainer in the New York area. Apparently that means he’s pretty badass. Keith has been personally invited to coach at certification courses by luminaries such as Mark Rippetoe, Mike Burgener, Jeff Martone, and Jeff Tucker. He’s a member of the CrossFit Level 1 Certification Staff, which means he is an Official Source Of CrossFit Wisdom, and gets to wear a pretty snazzy red shirt.
Before founding CrossFit Virtuosity, Keith founded CrossFit NYC, the first New York CrossFit affiliate, and the eighteenth affiliate nationwide. He has worked at a number of esteemed fitness facilities including David Barton Gym, Crunch, Equinox, and an array of New York’s top yoga studios.
Here’s a big list of all Keith’s qualifications. Yep, it’s a long list!
- CrossFit Level 3 Trainer.
- CrossFit Speciality Seminars:
- Basic Barbells
- Gymnastics
- Kettlebells
- Nutrition
- Olympic Weightlifting
- Science of Exercise
- Running and Endurance
- Movement, Mobility and Maintenance
- Certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
- Certified by USA Weightlifting as a Sports Performance Coach.
- Registered yoga teacher.
- Purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under master Renzo Gracie, one of the most highly regarded practitioners and teachers of BJJ in the world. Keith co-taught the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Club at Columbia University for four years.
- Ambassador for Lululemon Athletica.
- And last but not least, Keith holds a JD from Boston University. Just don’t ask him for legal advice… that was a long time ago!
Samantha Orme
(a.k.a. “Good Sam”)
Sam is Founder, VP, Secretary, Treasurer, and a coach, and hence has all the real responsibility around here. Pretty much everything she knows about coaching, she learned from Keith. She is a CrossFit Level 1 and CrossFit Kettlebell Trainer, and although perhaps not quite as badass as Keith, has been known to pull off surprise workout victories every once in a while (challenge her to a handstand hold contest!) Sam sits around all day just waiting for Rip, Burgener, or Tucker to call and ask her to coach a cert, but so far no such luck.
A couple years back Sam decided on a whim to ride a bicycle across the continental United States and against all odds emerged unscathed. Later, she ran a half marathon and found it far more challenging than the 4,000 mile bike ride. Sam will understand why you want to be an endurance athlete, and will only try to talk you into training smarter.
Elizabeth Wipff
(a.k.a. “Elastigirl”, “Bendy”)
Elizabeth is a coach, personal trainer, yoga teacher, and mobility specialist (that means she knows how to make you more stretchy!) She is a CrossFit Level 1 and CrossFit Movement and Mobility Trainer and has been teaching yoga in the NYC area since 1999.
Elizabeth’s athletic endeavors started early: she walked at 7 months and was roller skating at 3! As a kid she played soccer and studied dance, yoga, and therapeutic movement modalities.
In 2008, Elizabeth sought out CrossFit in an effort to heal back pain and increase fitness. She was a little trepidacious at first – yoga teachers don’t lift heavy weights and run around! A conversation with Coach Keith convinced her that there was nothing wrong with getting stronger and fitter! An thus the CrossFit obsession began…!
Elizabeth loves working with CrossFit newbies because she knows how overwhelming getting started can be. She holds a degree in Musical Theater Performance and will happily sing show tunes with you if it means you will lift heavier weight.
Kurt Tullar
(a.k.a. “Tube Top Tullar”)
Kurt is a coach, personal trainer and running specialist. Kurt has spent half a lifetime running in circles, starting in high school track and cross country. After realizing it wasn’t making him any fitter, he tried CrossFit and has been hooked ever since. He teaches the year-round CrossFit Endurance class at Virtuosity, focusing on POSE running and interval training.
Kurt is a CrossFit Level 1, CrossFit Endurance and CrossFit Basic Barbell Trainer. He still competes in endurance events, including marathons, triathlons, adventure races and CrossFit competitions.
Juan Blanco
(a.k.a. “Blanco”)
Blanco is a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, personal trainer and opera singer. Yes, CrossFitters sing opera!
As a child, Blanco was often called “husky” and always picked last in kickball. He battled with his weight, a struggle that would follow him into adulthood. Five years ago, weighing an impressive 280 pounds, Blanco found himself at a crossroads. In one direction was continued unhappiness and ill health. In the other was the hard road to fitness. After struggling through a series of false starts, including a diet named after a Miami beach and some questionable pharmaceutical remedies, he found CrossFit.
In the past two years, he has shed 100 pounds and is in the best shape of his life. If you want to see the kind of transformation that’s possible, ask to see his old photos. They’re pretty incredible, and as an added bonus you’ll get a great laugh from his Florida “frosted tips” hairstyle.
Blanco is truly happy to share his experience and help other people along the road to transformation!
Joey Swidler
(a.k.a. “Chopstix”)
Joey is a CrossFit and Steve’s Club coach. He is a CrossFit Level 1, CrossFit Running and Endurance, and CrossFit Nutrition Trainer. Joey does not come from an athletic background or family. He warmed the bench in basketball, was thrown in right field in baseball and was picked last for dodgeball. After college, Joey decided to put some muscle on his scrawny 145lb frame. After a year of so called ‘weight training,’ Joey had not seen any significant gains.
He found CrossFit in the summer of 2008 and never looked back. Since then, he has learned how beneficial functional movement is to our daily lives. After seeing how it changed his own lifestyle, he wanted to give back and began coaching. He loves competing, working with beginners, and truly understands the need for mobility as he’s not very bendy!
